Help is available for elderly who drink

Aging is accompanied by losses of many kinds: loss of vision, hearing, or the ability to walk briskly, the loss of a career, the loss of a family home in favor of smaller living quarters, the loss of friends who have moved or passed away, the loss of a spouse.

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Some older adults use alcohol and other drugs as a way to cope with these difficult life changes. However, this means of self-treatment only makes matters worse, resulting in negative emotional, physical and social consequences.

Alcohol is a depressant, which can make an elder feel more sadness, remorse and shame. The use of alcohol and prescription drugs may cause lack of coordination, increasing the risk of falls, injury and even death.

Drugs, including alcohol, may worsen diseases normally associated with aging, including heart and liver disease, arthritis, diabetes, cancer, glaucoma, cataracts, hearing loss, ulcers, and Alzheimer's disease. Increased social isolation often results for the senior who may feel shame and withdraws from others, or who may be avoided by others because of the alcohol and drug problem.

Fortunately, help is available to break this downward spiral. The Elderly Outreach and Intervention Program offers "education, information, help and hope." Bev Mueller is the program manager of the Elderly Outreach and Intervention Program, a part of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD).

Mueller responds to calls from concerned family members and others looking for ways to help a loved one with an alcohol or drug problem. She will visit elders in their homes, check to make sure they are safe, and arrange services that can assist them. Mueller provides ongoing support to the individual, making sure he or she is safe and following through on the treatment plan.

All information about the family and senior citizens is held in strictest confidence and there is no charge for the service. In response to the growing problem of drug and alcohol misuse among persons over 55, the state started this pilot program. The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority and Alaska Commission On Aging provided the grant to NCADD to assist older Alaskans who suffer from both an emotional issue, such as depression or anxiety, and a substance-abuse problem.

Mueller is joined by two others on her home visiting team: Nils Dihle, licensed professional counselor with Southeast Senior Services, and Merritt Hogan, geriatric nurse practitioner. When Mueller goes into the home and identifies medical concerns, she will ask Hogan to assess the situation. Common problems Mueller and Hogan see include people not taking their medications properly, taking doses of medication higher than they need, mixing numerous types of medications, and mixing them with alcohol - a truly dangerous combination. Hogan can talk with the person's physician and get the doses or types of medication adjusted.

When Mueller meets a senior with depression, anxiety, or unresolved grief, she can introduce them to Dihle and he will offer counseling in person or over the phone. Emotional concerns often rise to the surface once the elder has stopped taking the alcohol or drugs. These concerns can then be addressed effectively.

"Talking about things brings options and hope," explains Mueller. "Quality of life is our goal."

Senior citizens, family members or friends should call Bev Mueller at 463-3755 ext. 235 for assistance or further information regarding alcohol and medications.

• Marianne Mills is the program director for Southeast Senior Services, a program of Catholic Community Service (CCS). CCS assists all persons regardless of their faith.